It may seem like a long time away but spring in the North Shore is just around the corner and that means it is time to start thinking about your spring lawn care services. It is important to get a jump start on your spring lawn care with cool season grasses.

After the snow has melted away and the grass roots start to wake up, your lawn will need some TLC and some food! Your grass may look a little matted and have a few bare spots, so giving your lawn a little love will do a lot for its health and beauty. This winter (as most are) is going to be a little harsh, with a lot of heavy snow and cold temperatures, so it may take a little bit of effort this spring to nurse your lawn back to full health.

Aeration

Lawn aeration is a treatment that will remove small plugs of soil from your lawn to relieve compaction. Compacted soil blocks out essential elements and nutrients and keeps your grass roots from air and water. This leads to unhealthy grass because it is not getting the food and energy the roots need. Timing is an issue in the spring as you want to aerate before you put down any pre-emergent on the lawn for weeds and crabgrass.

Fertilizing

After being covered in heavy snow, secluded from the sun, and frozen, your grass is going to be hungry in the early spring. Fertilizer provides your lawn with vital nutrients that are often not naturally in your soil.

Early spring fertilizing is something we want to do with our cool season grasses here in the North Shore. When the outside temperature reaches 55 degrees fahrenheit, your lawn should be awake and no longer dormant. Once the grass is no longer dormant, it is growing season and it will be time for a spring feeding!

Spot Seeding

The brutal winter may have left you with some bare spots in your lawn from salt or snow mold, or maybe they appeared last summer and you did not take care of them. The spring time is a great time to take care of those dead patches of grass.

Filling in those bare spots in your lawn will make it appear beautiful and lush again! It is important to let the seeds grow without harsh treatments, so avoid putting any herbicides in those spots for about 60 days after seeding. Be sure to keep the seeded area moist while it is beginning to grow. It is a good idea to watch the rain forecast too. Avoid drowning the seeds by skipping watering on days when it is going to rain.

Mowing

Did you know you might be cutting your lawn too short? Having a longer lawn is actually better for the health of your grass. Longer grass will allow for more water retention as the longer blades of grass will create more shade for the roots of the grass. Lawn mowing can begin in the spring as soon as you notice growth in your lawn. If you are scheduling professional mowing services, ask to see if they can keep your lawn a little bit longer to keep your lawn healthier.

Weed Control

Some weeds are pretty like dandelions or white clovers, but they are also very invasive. Weeds take up nutrients and water that your grass needs to stay healthy. They are like parasites in your lawn.

So though they may look pretty and harmless, it is important that you get rid of them. Preventing weeds and crabgrass in the spring is vital to your lawn's health. Use a pre-emergent in the spring and then treat with a curative herbicide throughout the season to keep weeds from occupying space in your lawn and taking away nutrients that your grass needs to be green and healthy.

If you're looking for more information on lawn care in the North Shore or are simply ready to speak with someone about your lawn care needs, go to www.GrassmasterPlus.com or call 978-769-3595 today!